Worship This Sunday 

Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it?  Luke 14:26-28

Does Jesus really want us to hate our family? This would seem to be ridiculous and confusing if true. Instead, Jesus wants those who wish to be his followers to be very clear about the cost. Putting Christ first in our lives requires total commitment and may mean saying "no" to other things, even very good things. Join us Sunday as we consider the cost of discipleship as well as the joys of following the crucified and risen Lord.

This Sunday, September 8th we start Sunday School again! Join Mindy for more music and your wonderful volunteer teachers for Bible stories, games, crafts, skits, and even the occasional science experiment. This fall, we will hear about how God created our world and then the story of Joseph and his brothers. For more info or to sign up, check out www.hoplc.org/children or contact Ben Whalen ([email protected]).

September 11th we start Wednesday night youth group again for 5th-12th graders! Join us at 5:30 for Simple Supper followed by youth programs at 6:30 then closing worship from 7:45-8:00pm. Friends are welcome so bring them along for learning, fellowship, and service! Check out www.hoplc.org/youth  for more info or to sign up, or contact Ben Whalen ( [email protected]).

Wednesday Night Simple Suppers are starting Sept 11th. There will be mini sliders (ham & cheese and burgers), broccoli salad, tater tots, brownies, cookies, and beverages on the menu. Plan on joining us each Wednesday night in Fellowship Hall at 5:30 for food, fellowship, and fun! Contact DuAnn at [email protected] if you would like to help serve.

On September 9th, 2019, registration starts for House of Prayer's Citizenship Class Fall Session. Students and tutors will spent 10 weeks studying for the United States Citizenship Test and Interview.  Classes will be on Monday nights from 6:30-8:00pm.  The Class is open to anyone who is interested in preparing for their Citizenship Test.  We also have opportunities for those interested in being a tutor for a student studying for their test.  If you are interested please contact Paula Hall 612-413-1214 or Heidi Thomas 612-865-1230.

Thursday; September 12, 2019
9:00 am; HOP Fellowship Hall
All brothers and sisters are invited for fellowship - devotion, speaker, meet, greet, chit-chat, and refreshments. Speaker- Minister Deanna Bassett - Life Story History and More. She will share comments and reflections on her life story and history, Christian ministry, and ELCA experiences. She will include her collaborative ministry experiences with the Richfield Churches - Oak Grove, Wood Lake, and House of Prayer. Thank you Deanna Bassett and God Bless you, and your ministry. Contact Noel Sagness at 612-866-0833 with questions.

Each year, Penn Ave shuts down to cars for an afternoon filled with food trucks, activities, shows, music, games, and tons of local organizations and businesses. It is Sunday, Sept. 15 from 1-5pm; will you be there? HOP will have a tent set up with games, free water & granola bars! If you'd like to help with set up, take down, or just hang out at the tent to talk with neighbors, please contact Ben Whalen ( [email protected] or 612-500-9523). If you attend, please make sure to stop by and say hello!

House of Prayer Preschool opens September 10th! We are looking for any donations of the following: Crayola Colored Pencils, glue sticks, gallon size Ziplock bags, applesauce cups or squeezes, raisins, veggie straw snacks, graham crackers, and Target or Dollar Store gift cards. Please drop off your donation in the church office. Thank you! Contact Nicole Olson at [email protected] with questions.

The HOP Foundation will meet on Monday, October 14th at 7:10 pm to discuss business and review funding requests. At the end of July 2019, the Foundation had total assets of around $600,000. We will be discussing funding requests at this meeting. If you'd like to make a request, CLICK HERE for the funding request form. The HOP Foundation meets quarterly the 2nd Monday of the month at 7:10pm (January, April, July, October) and takes funding requests at the April and October meetings. Current board members are: Ernie Lindstrom, Charles Hatfield, Jill Johnson, Steve Pierson, Charles Robbins, Sandy Williams, Zack Olson and Scott Wright. 

Come one, come all to the first SALT event of the programming year on September 21, 2019 5:00pm in Woodlake's Fireside Room. We will have a potluck and games, as well as plan our events for the year. The group gets together about once a month for a social event or service project. Everyone is welcome to join in the fun! Please RSVP to Cheryl at 612-270-0371.

You are cordially invited to House of Prayer Lutheran Church for a concert by the Augsburg Centennial Singers on Sunday, October 20, at 7:00 p.m. A 50-voice men's chorus, the Singers' concert features well-known gospel music, folk songs, familiar hymns, sacred selections and a spitirual or two. The Singers are men of faith and conviction. Through their music listeners are encouraged to establish and deepen a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We hope to see you at House of Prayer Lutheran Church for an inspiring evening. Contact David Steenson at  [email protected] with questions.

The VEAP Collaboration Team, with a VEAP representative from each church - Oak Grove, House of Prayer, and Woodlake - asks you to bring diapers from now until the end of September. The diapers can be any size and quantity. If you would prefer they be purchased by others, please contribute with a check made out to House of Prayer and designate "VEAP Donate & Do" in the memo line.  We will pick a Saturday in October for volunteers to meet at the VEAP warehouse to repackage the diapers for distribution. During this repackaging, VEAP gives the volunteers a tour of their facilities so we can see the whole operation and how they serve our neighbors in need. Volunteers of all ages are welcome, so plan to bring your whole family. Thank you for your continued support of this awesome organization.

Thursday, September 26, 2018 - November 14, 2019, 4:30-6:00 p.m.
Nativity of Mary Catholic Church
9900 Lyndale Ave. S.
Bloomington, MN
(952) 881-8671
September 26-Overview of Grief, Steve Sims
October 3-How Grief Affects the Family System, Steve Sims
October 10-The Mind-Body Connection, Lorry Lundborg
October 17-Why Do I Feel Like I'm Going Crazy? Judy Young
October 24-The Courage to Ask: Embracing Help on the Path to Healing, Dr. Renee Garpestad
October 31-Where is God in My Grief? On the Path to Healing, Stuart Walker
November 7-What's Left? Bob Bartlett
November 14-A Time to Remember or Service of Remembrance, Joan Apt

The back of our weekly attendance card gives you the opportunity to request prayers for yourself and/or someone else each week. Please check the "Prayer Chain" and/or "Staff Prayer Chain" on the prayer concerns side of the yellow "Welcome," card. If you are attending ReFuel worship please check the box on the green card under "How Can We Pray For You".  If you would like to be in the prayer chain email to pray for others please write your email address on the card and include "Add me to the Prayer Chain Email List." For ongoing prayer requests, please fill out a new card as prayer emails are updated each week.